Edmonton Rush have been in discussions, but say no immediate plans to relocate

The Edmonton Rush, shown here in the last game of the regular season against the Calgary Roughnecks at Rexall Place, made the NLL post-season for the second time in a row this season, and were eliminated last weekend by the Washington Stealth. (David Bloom, Edmonton Sun)

Turns out it may be more than one-and-done for the Edmonton Rush following their NLL playoff ousting on the weekend.

Maybe a lot more. For Edmonton, at least.

The team confirmed that they have had initial discussions with a group in Saskatoon to move the franchise to the Saskatchewan community.

An official statement from the club said the discussions were preliminary, and haven’t taken place for the past 30 days.

“Ownership and senior management of the Edmonton Rush have made it no secret over the years as to their disappointment in corporate and individual season ticket sales,” the same statement read. “Especially when comparing attendance numbers with their divisional team down the road in Calgary.”

When asked earlier in the day as to Rush owner Bruce Urban’s commitment to the team, club president Dave Jamieson didn’t exactly sugar coat the situation.

“I don’t think anyone should ever question Bruce Urban’s commitment to the game of lacrosse or the city of Edmonton,” Jamieson said. “Let the record show, he has lost a lot of money, he’s spent a lot of time, he may even have grey hairs that have come from this experience, because he has put a lot of himself into it.

“He really, passionately wants this team to do well and win here. I firmly believe Bruce wants this thing to keep going, he just wants a winner.”

But at what point do the sacrifices begin to outweigh that passion? Especially with the current trend in the NLL, where one-third of its franchises are owned by the NHL organization in the same city.

Not that the NLL minds, of course.

In his last visit to Edmonton in 2012, NLL president George Daniel called the current configuration: “the best ownership group we’ve had in the (then) 26-year history of the league.”

Back then, the Calgary Flames had just acquired the Roughnecks franchise, joining the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche as NLL owners.

At the time, Urban — who wasn’t made available to the media at Tuesday’s press conference and denied an interview request with the Sun for a story about the team’s finances a month ago — said he wasn’t expecting Edmonton to follow suit.

“Not at this point. There’s nothing that’s in discussion,” Urban said in an interview with the Sun in 2012. “We’re in an Oiler-crazy marketplace, an Eskimo-crazy marketplace and we want Edmonton to embrace the Rush as well. So we’re on a real push for season-ticket sales.

“Selling sports is not an easy business.”

And it hasn’t gotten any easier since, either. Average attendance in the NLL is around 10,000, while the Rush dropped below the 7,000 mark for the first time in their history, seeing a steady drop in attendance figures from that 10,000 mark in their first two years of existence.

Back when they were new.

Tuesday’s statement ended with things continuing on course for the Rush, for now: “At this point the Edmonton Rush are actively soliciting season ticket sales for next season, they continue to grow and promote the game of lacrosse in the city of Edmonton.”

Edmonton Rush have been in discussions, but say no immediate plans to relocate

Turns out it may be more than one-and-done for the Edmonton Rush following their playoff ousting.

Maybe a lot more. For Edmonton, at least.

Rumours — whose roots extend from the minor lacrosse level that the professional club is getting more and more involved in with each passing year — were swirling around Rexall Place Tuesday as the team held its final press conference following their semifinal playoff loss in Washington.

And they had to do with the Rush's future in Edmonton.

Or not, as it were.

“I don't think anyone should ever question Bruce Urban's commitment to the game of lacrosse or the city of Edmonton,” club president Dave Jamieson said of owner Bruce Urban. “Let the record show, he has lost a lot of money, he's spent a lot of time, he may even have grey hairs that have come from this experience, because he has put a lot of himself into it.

“He really, passionately wants this team to do well and win here. I firmly believe Bruce wants thi